Final Walk-Through: 5 Vital Things To Include On Your Checklist

For first time home buyers, navigating the whole process is extremely overwhelming; a lot of things can be missed and a lot of mistakes can be made. Nobody knows better than experienced home buyers, that the first time is a learning experience. It’s a right of passage and a way to get your foot in the door. There are many steps involved that are very crucial, from selecting the right realtor to getting pre-approved for a mortgage, but the stakes are never higher than when you’re closing and you need to be especially sharp the step prior to closing; the final walk-through.

The final walk-through is the last time you will be seeing the home before closing. It’s vital that you are extremely meticulous and ensure every aspect of the home is taken into account. Your realtor will always have your best interests at heart, guide you through the process and help you devise a detailed checklist. However, everyone makes mistakes and important aspects can be neglected. While the different things on your checklist can vary greatly, depending on what you prioritize, there are certain aspects that are vital for you and your realtor not to miss.

1) Home Inspection

The number one thing on your final walk-through checklist is ensuring you have the home inspected prior. This can be an easy step to miss because it’s not required by law in most states. The mandatory aspects of buying a home are demanding enough, it can be easy to neglect optional steps. The home inspection, however, is a step that should absolutely be executed, it’s well worth a few hundred dollars. The home inspector will determine if there are any major issues with the house, the last thing you want is to spend all your hard earned money on lemon that will bleed you dry.

2) Verify All Negotiated Repairs

Every home has issues and they tend to come up when being initially viewed. The seller will either agree to repair a given problem or put it on you, in which case you can use it as leverage to negotiate a lower price. When you’re on your final walk-through, ensure that they have completed all the agreed upon repairs; things tend to get hectic for the seller when they’re preparing for a move, it can be easy to miss things. At this point the clock has run out, use whatever they neglected and negotiate a lower price, don’t take their word that they’ll fix it before closing.

3) Make Sure Everything Works

Inspect every appliance to ensure it’s in working order, switch all the lights of and on, flush all the toilets, test out all the faucets and open and close every window and door. If there are any issues, this is another opportunity to negotiate for a lower price.

4) Verify The Fixtures

Sellers have a knack for removing fixtures, such as lighting and shower heads. If it was there when the home was being shown, it should be there after they leave. Unless they specifically tell you they a removing a given fixture, it belongs to you and is grounds for renegotiation.

5) Abandoned Items

Sellers also have a knack for abandoning items that they don’t want and are difficult to move. Make sure you check every inch of the house and if they left anything there, request that it be removed before closing or have them agree to a junk removal invoice.

Original article found at: http://dreamcasa.org/real-estate-101/buying/final-walk-through-5-vital-things-to-include-on-your-checklist/